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dr_matthew_lloyd's review
2.0
The theory behind this series of comic books is solid. Of all the seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer that could be fleshed out by additional stories, season one is the best; the basis for this story in particular - a group of nerdy vampires highlight how Buffy's old life as a popular girl in LA conflicts with her new life as an outcast in Sunnydale - fits with the high school fears manifest as monsters theme of early Buffy. The error, then, lies in the execution. Pages and pages of this story are spent establishing things that anyone who has watched the show will know about Buffy, her friends, and their high-school social position; far less time is spent on the characters of the vampire nerds and Buffy's 'bullying' of them. More of a problem is that the characters don't really sound like the quick-witted heroes of the television show which, coupled with art that doesn't really look like the characters either, means that this doesn't really feel like Buffy at all. It is worth noting, though, that I have found that Buffy comics written by Joss Whedon himself don't quite feel like Buffy either, and reading them helped me appreciate how much Sarah Michelle Gellar brought to that role. I did laugh a couple of times, so there is that.
Tonally, it feels like this volume is targeted at a young audience - perhaps even younger than I was when I started watching the television show (it was 1999 and I was thirteen). Much like the X-Files Origins novels I just read, I find it strange to target related works from twenty-year-old television shows at children this young (unless they're supposed to be at the children of the now-adult fans of the show?). I stumbled on the book in my library, in the comic book section next to adult literature, not in the children's section, so I guess they were confused, too. Certainly, it doesn't feel clever enough to slide alongside the episodes of the first season of the television show as another 'episode' targeted at a teenage audience. If it is meant to act in much the same way as the animated series, I would say that it's biggest failure is the absence of Dawn. I'd take even a half-hearted attempt at an early season flashback if it incorporated the changes that the Order of Dagon made to Buffy's past (an attempt that has been made, and could be developed further).
One more word on the art: it is generally good, but the characters don't look all that much like the actors who played them on television. This dissimilarity is only a problem because the characters don't sound like Buffy characters, either.
Overall, this short thing I didn't know existed until this morning was a bit of a disappointment.
Tonally, it feels like this volume is targeted at a young audience - perhaps even younger than I was when I started watching the television show (it was 1999 and I was thirteen). Much like the X-Files Origins novels I just read, I find it strange to target related works from twenty-year-old television shows at children this young (unless they're supposed to be at the children of the now-adult fans of the show?). I stumbled on the book in my library, in the comic book section next to adult literature, not in the children's section, so I guess they were confused, too. Certainly, it doesn't feel clever enough to slide alongside the episodes of the first season of the television show as another 'episode' targeted at a teenage audience. If it is meant to act in much the same way as the animated series, I would say that it's biggest failure is the absence of Dawn. I'd take even a half-hearted attempt at an early season flashback if it incorporated the changes that the Order of Dagon made to Buffy's past (an attempt that has been made, and could be developed further).
One more word on the art: it is generally good, but the characters don't look all that much like the actors who played them on television. This dissimilarity is only a problem because the characters don't sound like Buffy characters, either.
Overall, this short thing I didn't know existed until this morning was a bit of a disappointment.
bmille773's review
5.0
It's cute and brings me back to the early days in Sunnydale. I would like to get more of these but in a volume edition that has a collection of them. Maybe after they make some more they will make that.
that60siris's review
5.0
Really fun to read! I love the cover art and the actual drawings inside have this Asian anime cartoony drawing style.
bellscansada's review
4.0
Buffy é uma das minhas séries favorita e já reassisti tantas vezes que, sinceramente, perdi a conta há muito tempo!
Li a oitava temporada há muitos anos, quando saiu, e não dei continuidade as leituras, mas começar por The High School Years foi uma ótima escolha porque Buffy na época da escola sempre foi a melhor Buffy! Mal posso esperar para ler os outros dois volumes.
Li a oitava temporada há muitos anos, quando saiu, e não dei continuidade as leituras, mas começar por The High School Years foi uma ótima escolha porque Buffy na época da escola sempre foi a melhor Buffy! Mal posso esperar para ler os outros dois volumes.
areaxbiologist's review
3.0
The art style shows some manga influences (suddenly Xander has a very expansive upper body and Buffy's eyes are shaped like Diglets). I love the size of the book (weird thing to like, I know). It stayed consistent with the TV show and was worth the read to feed my nostalgia.
trenton_ross's review
3.0
I really wanted to like this more then I did. I've always been a fan of the show and the continuing graphic novel seasons. I loved the idea of going back and revisiting the early days of Buffy's slayering in Sunnydale.
While I enjoyed the concept, I felt it lacked some of the trademarks that really made the show and even, to a lesser extent, the graphic novels special. There was some humor, and I appreciated that they focused more on the relationships then either action or grand apocalyptic drama, but there was a lack of the sharp, witty banter the show was known and loved for.
Secondly, I felt like the story wasn't able to accomplish any serious insight to the characters and their relationships. The brevity, only 70ish pages with little dialogue, was surely part of the reason for this. Buffy struggling to balance friends, dating, and her new role as slayer is a great subject and this could have potential to build on that. Though, as it stands it has been done before and better.
Finally, and this is more of a personal preference than a perceived flaw, I just couldn't get excited about the artwork. The manga influence was strong and I couldn't reconcile it with how I view the characters.
Enjoyable, but it needed, and I wanted, more.
While I enjoyed the concept, I felt it lacked some of the trademarks that really made the show and even, to a lesser extent, the graphic novels special. There was some humor, and I appreciated that they focused more on the relationships then either action or grand apocalyptic drama, but there was a lack of the sharp, witty banter the show was known and loved for.
Secondly, I felt like the story wasn't able to accomplish any serious insight to the characters and their relationships. The brevity, only 70ish pages with little dialogue, was surely part of the reason for this. Buffy struggling to balance friends, dating, and her new role as slayer is a great subject and this could have potential to build on that. Though, as it stands it has been done before and better.
Finally, and this is more of a personal preference than a perceived flaw, I just couldn't get excited about the artwork. The manga influence was strong and I couldn't reconcile it with how I view the characters.
Enjoyable, but it needed, and I wanted, more.
vylotte's review
3.0
I little snippet of life, way back from Buffy S1. Quite a melancholy read, actually, knowing all that is to come for these fresh-faced kids, not quite yet aware that the world is on their shoulders and tragedy will be their spice of life.
heather_books's review
4.0
A classic Buffy 1st season episode comic, good for a rainy Friday after work with a cup of tea.
aprilpoole's review
5.0
Pitch perfect. This return to Sunnydale high has all the right notes with its portrayal of high school Buffy. The writing is full of nods to the dialogue in the show, and felt so right in this comic. It truly feels like reading an episode of the show. And Buffy's conflict over her role as the Slayer is a strong echo of her internal conflict in the show. The art and design are awesome, and the pages where Buffy is dreaming are particularly striking. I loved this return to the Buffyverse, and I'll definitely be continuing to read this series.